The Boy Chums in the Gulf of Mexico

by Carol Norton

  CHAPTER XXXII.

  THE CASTAWAYS AGAIN.

  LEAVING the boys safe from the danger that had threatened them, let usreturn to the castaways whom we left confronted by that menace, themost grewsome of all to shipwrecked sailors, the lack of water.

  The sponger captain needed no explanation but the captain's simplewords to realize the terrible tortures and awful death that awaitedthem all if help in some shape did not soon come to their rescue. Hisbronzed face grew white beneath it's coat of tan.

  "I am frightfully thirsty, already," he exclaimed, "Is there no way wecan reach the mainland. Thar's water in plenty thar."

  "If we were birds or fish, we might get thar, I reckon," repliedCaptain Westfield, "but, being as we are only human beings, I calculateit ain't no way possible."

  The Conch eyed the raging water that stretched between the littleisland and the shore.

  "A strong swimmer might make it," he observed, musingly. "I've swumfarther many a time but it was when I was in a sight better shape thanI am now."

  "Yes, I reckon a right powerful swimmer might make it," assented thecaptain, "but this little fellow and I are not equal to it, we'd neverreach the land."

  "I believe I could do it even now," said the sponger calculatingly,"but I won't desert yo' two Yo' saved my life an' I'd be worse than aGreek to leave yo' here."

  "If you can do it, go ahead, man," said the old sailor. "You can't dous any good by staying. Better save your own life," but the Conch shookhis head sadly.

  "My life ain't worth much, now," he said sadly. "My little ship'sgone, all my brave comrades drowned, an' everything I had in the worldlost. I've not much to live for now."

  "Bosh, man," said the old sailor, "I reckon, thar's always somethingfor a man to live for as long as the Good Lord let him live. If tharwasn't the Lord wouldn't let him live."

  But the Conch was not to be comforted, the full extent of his loss wasbeginning to make itself felt as he regained his strength and the fullpossession of his senses after his terrible ordeal. He soon moved alittle apart from the two castaways, and, seating himself on the sandburied his face in his hands. The two watchers could see the tearstrickling between his fingers and they turned away greatly moved atthat most impressive of sights, the grief of a strong man, ashamed ofdisplaying his tears. When they looked again he was on his knees andhis bowed head showed that he was praying. When he rejoined them, hismanner was filled with the calm and quietness of one who has foundpeace for his afflictions.

  "I see there is no wood here with which to build a raft," he observed."Things look pretty bad, but they say the darkest hour is just beforethe dawn. We must take courage. Yo'r young friends may return with helpat any hour."

  The captain shook his head sadly. "Something has happened to them orthey would have been back long ago. They cannot return now until thestorm is over."

  "It cannot last much longer," declared the Conch, confidently. "It islosing force now, I believe it will blow out by morning."

  "Maybe, but it will take a long time for the sea to go down so a boatcan live in it, and, in the meantime we have no water."

  "We must not give way to despair," said the Conch, who seemed likeanother man after his devotions. "Let's dig another well right in themidst of the island, perhaps we can get water fit to drink."

  With but little hope the three fell to work and by noon had dug a holeto water, but they had only their labor for their pains, the waterwas salt, bitter, and undrinkable. Indeed their labor was worse thanfruitless for their exertions had greatly increased their thirst.

  Chris kindled a fire and roasted some of the turtle meat and eggs, butthe castaways only partook of a few mouthfuls, as eating seemed but toincrease their thirst.

  The Conch had lost his hat when wrecked and Chris, observing his barehead, set about braiding him another hat from the green palmetto leaves.

  The Sponger watched him with interest. "Do yo' think yo' could make awater-tight mat of that stuff?" he enquired, eagerly.

  "Golly! I reckon, dis nigger could," declared the little darkey. "I'sedone made baskets ob hit dat would hold water like a bucket."

  "How long would it take yo' to make a mat four feet square?"

  The little negro considered, "I guess I could do hit in a day."

  "Then drop that hat business and get to work on hit. Work like yo'never did before. There's a chance, jes' a chance, that it will be thesaving of us. Captain, there is work for us to do. Get the entrails outof one of those turtle shells. Clean them out good, pack them full ofsand, and stretch them out in the sun to dry. I've got a plan in mind.It may fail, but it's worth trying. Be careful not to break the skins."

  It was evident from the man's manner that he was intensely in earnestand the old sailor lost no time in asking idle questions but wentquickly to work at the task assigned him. In a short time he hadcleaned and washed out the turtle entrails and filling them with drysand stretched them out to dry in the hot sun. When thus prepared theyformed a kind of small hose some thirty feet in length.

  While he was thus engaged, the Conch dragged the empty shell down tothe water and cleaned and washed it out thoroughly. Leaving it nearthe water's edge, he collected and piled close beside it, a heap ofdry wood. Then he returned to where Chris was working and fell tohelping him by stripping and preparing the palmetto buds for the littledarkey's nimble fingers.

  Just before sundown he carefully removed the sand from the driedentrails and was in possession of a long, tough waterproof hose withouthole or break in it.

  Night brought no cessation of the strange labor. A fire was kindledbeside the little darkey and he plaited on by its light while thecaptain and the Conch kept him supplied with palmetto strips.

  About midnight Chris held up his work with a weary sigh; "Hit's done,"he announced.

  "Now for the test," cried the Conch, trembling with excitement.

  Taking the strong, flexible, green mat he hurried down to the turtleshell which he had filled half full of sea water. Placing the matover the top of the shell, he bound it firmly in place with wisps ofpalmetto leaves. Then, cutting a small hole in the center of the mat,he inserted in it one end of the strange hose, packing wet sand aroundit to make it air-tight. He next coiled down the hose in the edge ofthe sea and placed the other end of it in the empty turtle shell. Then,heaping wood around the mat-covered shell, he started a fire.

  The Captain and Chris at last understood his plan. With his rudecontrivance, he was going to try to distill fresh water from salt afterthe manner they do on big steamships with costly and complicatedapparatus. The steam from the heated water was supposed to escape fromthe shell through the hose. In passing through it it would becomechilled when the hose was coiled down in the cold sea water and,condensing into water again, reach the other shell fresh and free fromsalt.

  In theory the plan was perfect, but would the rude contrivance do thework?

  The three thirsty watchers fairly held their breath as they kept thefire roaring around the shell and awaited results. At last tiny wispsof steam began to trickle through the closely-woven mat. Tiny drops ofmoisture were dropping from the end of the hose. These grew larger andlarger until at last a tiny stream of water trickled forth.

  They danced and shouted for joy. "It works! It works!" they cried.

  But thirsty though they were they had to possess their souls inpatience and wait for the process worked very slowly. All night theystaid by the shells keeping the fire going. Just at day-break the Conchgave the command to put out the fire. In the other shell was severalgallons of clear, pure water. As soon as it had cooled sufficientlythey dipped it up with shells and drank greedily. It was slightlybitter and tasteless but never did drink taste better to parchedthroats. With the satisfying of their thirst, came hunger and they allmade a hearty meal off the roasted meat and eggs left from dinner.Just as the sun arose they lay down to sleep completely exhausted butwith thankfulness to God in their hearts. Their greatest danger waspast. They had water and food in abu
ndance, and the storm was slowlybut surely subsiding.

  They slept through the long day, awakening only when the shades ofnight began to fall. Then after satisfying their hunger and thirst,they lay down and slept until morning came.

  They opened their eyes upon a clear, still day. The storm had gone andthe sea was growing calm. Far to the South there showed on the bluewater a tiny patch of white,--a sail.